The Colours of Misery
by DearSweetPapercut
Summary: "He realised that all he could see was the hazy blue of the night. The colour of misery."
1. Chapter 1

Another Sandle fic, I'm getting predictable.

Set in Season 11.

I heard the song "Temporary Bliss" by The Cab today, and I just had to write something inspired by it.

Hope you all like it.

Sorry this is short but there is more to come very soon!

Please be lovely and review : )

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

**The Colours of Misery **

**Prologue **

A storm raged outside of his window as he lay staring at the ceiling of his bedroom; rain collided with the glass and the wind caused the branches from the tree outside of his apartment building to throw sinister shadows onto his walls. Without her there was nothing but silence in the room that surrounded him to keep in him company.

It was in that moment that he realised just how much he had lost.

As he closed his eyes and attempted to sleep he realised that without the sound of her steady breathing, the feeling of her body and the smell of her perfume lingering in the air sleeping didn't feel right.

Nothing seemed to feel right without her.

He picked himself up glancing around at the place that apparently was his home. There were so many things missing he acknowledge. Her watch, phone and gun should have been on the night stand. Her clothes should have been thrown haphazardly on the chair at his writing desk. Her frame should have been curled up next to the very were spot where he sat.

His eyes scanned the room and he realised that all he could see was the hazy blue of the night.

The colour of misery.


	2. Chapter 2

Hope you all like it.

Please be lovely and review : )

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

**The Colours of Misery **

**Chapter One**

**Red**

He climbed out of bed snatching up the jeans he had thrown on to the arm chair in the corner of this bedroom and pulled them on. He had to see her, he had to try and fix all of the things that had gone wrong with them.

The rain hit him harder than he had expected as he stepped outside without a coat, but he could barely feel it, there was only one thing in that moment that mattered; the dull ache in the centre of his chest that was leaving him breathless. He let the sound of the rain crashing down deafen him to his own thoughts because he had spent too much timing thinking it was finally time to act, to do something to prove his worth.

His headlights shone down the long, winding roads and he attempted to focus on driving his car rather than the woman that was driving him to insanity. It felt as if his whole life had become plagued by her. When she was there the feelings of overwhelming desire were like waves in the ocean pulling him down into murky depths. He would watch her working and see nothing but lust. He felt sick as he attempted to count the number of times he'd wanted to push her up against the closest surface and take her then and there for everyone to see. The intensity he felt when they were together was like the heat of the Nevada deserts they were surrounded by in the middle of summer. Even when she wasn't there he'd notice her smell lingering in the air, he would hear her voice mocking him.

A part of him hated her for making him want her so much. A part of him wanted to write her off.

Add her as another meaningless notch on his bed post and just walk away.

But as he thought about how beautiful she looked when she slept, the spark in her dark eyes and the way she wouldn't let anything get in her way when she believed in something he realised that whatever it was he felt for her was more than something he could let go of.

The sight of her town house as he neared it caused his chest to tighten. He had made this journey so many times in the last month or so but every time he would find himself feeling anxious. After he had parked his car, he took a deep breath and began walking up the stairs to her front door. He pressed the door bell and listened to the sound of it echoing through the house. The dull glow from the living room lamp flooded into the street, the faint sound of the television floated through the spaces. He stood waiting for her as rain drops continued their relentless attack upon him.

Eventually the door opened and Sara appeared watching him intently with a fierce expression the door firmly held so he couldn't get past her. He noticed the silk red robe she was wearing; her hair lay in damp curls on her shoulders, her skin glistening in the dim lighting.

"What do you want Greg?" She spat at him.

"Sara, please." He begged her to listen to the things he had to say. He needed her to hear just how much she meant to how him, how much he needed her. Sara watched him her eyes attempting to gauge his honesty like she did in interrogation, it was impossible for her to hide how hurt she was. Without giving it a second thought Greg moved in planting his lips on hers doing the only he knew that would make her weak. He tasted like cigarettes and rain. And before Sara could do anything to stop what was happening he was through the front door shutting it behind him.

Greg pulled Sara into his arms his soaking clothes making spots of her silk robe darken into the colour of blood. He kept his hands on either side of her face not letting her escape from the passion of their kiss. Sara's rested on Greg's chest attempting to push him away but there was nothing she could do. She was like putty in his hands, her body responded to his touch no matter how much she wanted to stop it. One of his hands slid down her body to the knot of her robe, it was so much like their first time she felt sick. Sara wanted to stop him but the feeling of his fingertips finally touching her bare skin caused electricity to fire through her veins. As she attempted to think straight she realised just how conflicted she was when it came to Greg Sanders.

Sensing her resistance Greg pulled away their chests heaving attempting to breath still reeling from the encounter they had just had. Sara's robe open revealing smooth, ivory skin doing nothing to help him control himself.

"I love you." he said breathlessly.


	3. Chapter 3

Sorry it took me a while to get this chapter up, I re-wrote it a few times in attempts to get the right sort of tone about it.

It's pretty dark/lusty like the song.

Hope you all like it.

Thanks to Charlie for being a wonderful co-conspirer!

Please be lovely and review : )

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

**The Colours of Misery **

**One Month Prior **

**Chapter Two **

**Black**

The dim lighting and flickering of the television screen filled the living room of the suburban Las Vegas town house. Two friends sat side by side engrossed in the plot that unfolded before them. They had spent their night dwelling on the horror of humanity in cinematic form rather than firsthand experience, something that they had gotten used to.

Sara reached towards the bowl of popcorn that sat between her and Greg, her focus not leaving the TV screen, their hands brushed finally making them tear their eyes away from the screen and look at each other. Neither one of them moved, or moved their hands away sharing a smile. An uneasy tension had developed between them, and even though neither wanted to admit it, they realised they didn't know how to act around each other anymore. The credits started rolling on the screen finally promoting them into action.

"So what next?" Greg asked moving towards the DVD player.

"Uhm... you decide." Sara said stretching out on the sofa, giving him a sleepy look as she twisted her hair around her hand out of the way.

"Wake up Sidle we have at least another three hours to go." He said with a mock stern voice. She laughed and then groaned closing her eyes and stretching her arms above her head switching on the lamp that stood beside her sofa.

The AC hadn't been working at Sara's house and the mid-summer Vegas heat had led them to peel off as many layers as possible. Greg's eyes pupils dilated with lust as the image of Sara in nothing but a tank-top and shorts brightened in front of his eyes. His vision ran from her bare feet past her shorts, and her t-shirt to the tops of her finger tips. He watched her chest as it slowly rose and fell, the soft curves of her breast straining against the white fabric, the blood red of her bra peaking out at him. It was as if her body was calling for him to touch her. To do about the situation they had found themselves in.

"So I heard Hodges was questioning your sex life?" he asked not wanting to make his question too direct.

"What sex life?" Sara laughed, her eyes focused on the ceiling realising that she had shared too much.

"You know...I can help with that..." Greg spoke slowly hoping to get a reaction out of her. But all she did was throw a warning look his way letting him know that it was not his place to offer _"his services"._

"Do you want a drink?" Sara asked picking herself up off the sofa changing the topic of conversation forcing Greg to return back to reality; this was just a movie night with a married friend. No matter how sexually frustrated they both were, nothing was to happen between them, he bitterly reminded himself_. No matter how much they both wanted it._

"Sure." He answered keeping his eyes focused on Sara's DVD collection rather than her bare legs as she stepped past him towards the kitchen.

A sticky and rather humid breeze flooded the room through the open windows not helping Greg as the thoughts that seemed to plague his mind made him rather hot under the collar. The moment Sara had asked him to join her for a night of good company and movies; he knew he should have said no. He should have blown her off with some pathetic excuse because being so close to her and not being able to do anything was killing him.

Sara returned with two tall glasses filled with a fizzing, clear liquid and ice. After handing Greg his glass she sat herself down of the sofa switching the lamp off waiting for him to press play on whichever movie he had chosen. Swooping up the remote from the floor he took his place next to her attempting not to think about all of the other things they could have been doing in the dark, in her empty house. He took a sip from his glass surprised by the sharp taste of gin and the icy tonic; he forced the biting substance down his throat and turned to find Sara laughing at him.

"You spiked my drink!" he said with outrage taking another smaller sip now he knew what to expect.

"Hey...you never asked me what it was..." Sara defended herself taking a sip from her glass without taking her eyes off her friend. He could feel his blood boil seeing her dark eyes on him like that. He didn't understand how with one look she could turn him on like that; all he could think about was pinning her down and taking her then and there.

"Or...you're attempting to incapacitate me, so you can have your wicked way with me..." He muttered moving in to be closer to her. She looked at with an expression that read _"you're being ridiculous"_.

"Greg...I wouldn't have to spike your drink if I wanted to have my wicked way with you." She sighed and turned to face the screen attempting to figure out what movie Greg had selected. Sara could feel the heat radiating off his skin as he moved even closer to her but used all of her will power to ignore it.

"You're right..." Greg couldn't help himself; he ran his hand up her bare thigh stopping just shy of her shorts. He leant in so she could feel his breath of her cheek and whispered in her ear. "All you would have to do was ask."

Sara shivered at the proximity and the feel of Greg's hand on her skin; it wasn't until she turned to face him that she saw the dark look in his eyes; a look that displayed nothing but desire. He wanted her- that much was obvious. Now the ball was in her court. It was her turn to make a move- to push him away and remind him that she was married. Or to just give in to something that had been nagging at her, a thought that wouldn't evacuate the back of her mind.

Their lips were so close to touching.

And without thinking Greg had moved in placing his lips on hers. Sara knew deep down that she should have stopped him, that she should have moved away. But there was something about the way Greg had whispered in her ear, and touched her that reminded her of the lust that been locked away inside of her since she had last seen her husband.

So instead of pushing Greg away, Sara sat still while they exchanged soft kisses, their lips barely touching; the sound of her neighbours chatting on the street and the waver of the television not doing anything to distract them from each other.


	4. Chapter 4

Hope you all like it.

Sorry this took me so long, I have sinusitis and have been having a really hard time focusing. But I've made this chapter longer than planned to make up for it!

Thanks to Charlie for all the help :)

Please be lovely and review :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

**The Colours of Misery **

**Chapter Three **

**Amber **

They both pulled away from each other looking into the lust clouded eyes of the person in front of them. The mix of sweltering heat and confidence had provided Greg with enough ammunition to make the movie he had been thinking about for so long. The same cocktail had led Sara to tear down all of the boundaries she had put in place. She glanced down at her at hands; the gold of her wedding ring glinted in the dim lighting of the television as a reminder of all the promises she'd made. She could feel her heart sink as she realised exactly what she'd done. Greg didn't understand why he could feel nothing but blinding fear as he watched Sara fidget with her wedding ring. He wondered if it was the fear of losing her for good.

"I should go." He muttered picking up all of his things leaving Sara silently sitting on the sofa. As he opened her front door he cast one last glance at her but when he started to say something he decided it was a bad idea and simply just turned away.

That night neither one of them could sleep. They tossed and turned with one thing playing on their minds; their kiss.

The outcome of that evening together had proved to be disastrous.

Sara kept her eyes open while she thought about her husband all of those miles away, he would be starting his day completely obvious to his wife's conflicted state of mind. He wouldn't know that she was in bed not being able to sleep because the only the things that she could think about were the memories of another man's hands on her body and the taste of someone else's lips.

A groan escaped Sara's lips as she pulled herself up, throwing the covers that seemed to be confiding her body in the state of frustration she seemed to not be able to escape. Sara opened her bedside cabinet fishing out the packet of cigarettes she stored there for nights just like this. She had promised Gil that she had quit smoking but the pressure of the job, the nights without him had led her to hide packets around her town house. Sara switched on the side lamp illuminating her silent bedroom. With the cigarette firmly between her lips she dug out a lighter, the sense of calm slowly filling her body when she took her first drag. She closed her eyes attempting to think clearly about what had happened with Greg.

She had been warned about long distance relationships. Once she had returned everyone had given her the same look (a look that said _"good luck with that") _when she had explained that Grissom had decided to stay behind in Paris. Sara knew that things would be difficult but considering everything they had been through together she was adamant that they could make it work. But as the year wore on things seemed to change. They were worse than she thought they would be. Seeing each other once a month wasn't enough. They would meet again finding themselves again unaware of the other's habits like a new couple rather than two people who had been together for years. And she realised, as much as she hated admitting that Hodges was right, seeing each other once a month was not enough to maintain a fulfilling sex life.

Sex had never been the most important thing in their relationship; they had connected on a much deeper level. They had been in love with each other a long time before they had ever had sex. But as Sara glanced over to see her half empty bed a lump made itself known in her throat. She would spend the weeks they spent apart craving his touch, the ghosts of his kisses would linger on her skin as a reminder of what had once been, and what was to be. The box under her bed was not enough to impersonate her husband, plastic and batteries weren't what she needed. The missing human touch was too much to ignore. She knew that nothing could be a substitute for the touch of another humanbeing; nothing could replace her husband's hands on her body or his lips on hers.

But someone, someone could fill that void he had left behind. Someone she trusted impeccably, someone who would never knowingly hurt her.

Someone like Greg.

Sara scolded herself for the thought but she couldn't stop her body from responding to the idea. She put the cigarette out and walked towards the bathroom flinging her towel over her shoulder as she did so.

It was going to be a long day.

What Sara didn't know was that on the other side of town Greg sat in a position that echoed the one she had just been in; sitting on the edge of the bed a cigarette slowly burning out between his fingers as he attempted to push aside all the thoughts of Sara that haunted him. He couldn't empty his mind of the feeling of her skin beneath his finger tips, the sound of her heart beat slowly increasing with every kiss they shared.

Greg recalled the fear that had initially shocked his system as he sat in the back of a cab on the way home. He had spent so many years thinking about kissing Sara, never had he thought that it would happen. Now it had, he realised just how much he wanted her. His attempts at sleep had been disturbed by thought of Sara. He imagined their kisses turning into something else, something more. He imagined his hands in places that should only be reserved to for her husband, the feel of her beneath him, the sound of her gasps and moans as he attempted to get rid of all of the loneliness and doubt.

He pulled himself up and headed to have a shower deciding that there was no way that he was going to be able to sleep. He stepped under the hot water hoping to wash away all of his thoughts.

Greg poured himself a cup of coffee and went in hunt for his car keys he needed to get out of the house. He needed to do something to stop thinking about Sara.

**An Hour Later **

Greg drove into the almost empty Las Vegas Crime Lab car park feeling slightly smug about being their early enough to get the spot closest to the door. As he climbed out of his car that feeling suddenly disappeared and his heart began sinking. There was a car three spaces away that he recognised; Sara's.

He thought of how fate had decided to let him down. Greg had hoped that he would be able to lose himself in his work, catch up on paper work, and forget about all of the things that had been running through his head for the past few hours. But knowing that she was there, in the same building would ensure that he wouldn't be able to focus.

The only sound in the hallway was the echo of his footsteps as he walked towards the break room with an armful of files. They were between shifts, it would be at least another two hours before the lab slowly filled up and became the noisy environment they were used to. As Greg walked something caught his eyes causing him to slow. He glanced through the blinds to see Sara sitting in her office, her head in her hands. Without thinking Greg stepped into her office shutting the door behind him.

"Catching up on paper work?" he asked casually placing himself down in the seat opposite her and his files on her desk. Sara glanced up at him with tired eyes and smudged make up.

"Attempting, what are you doing here so early?" she mirrored his calm, conversational voice.

"Couldn't sleep." he said shortly.

"Same here." Sara answered with a sigh. Greg wondered if she hadn't been able to sleep because of the same reasons as him.

"You know we can get away with it?" He asked cryptically, not taking his eyes off her.

"What?" Sara shifted uncomfortable in her seat. There was something about the way that he was watching her that made her uneasy; it was lusty and dark. His eyes said one simple thing: _I want you_.

"We could do it...right here...right now... no one would know. It's another two hours till our shifts start and the only people in the lab are in the other side of the building. You don't share this office with anyone, so no risk of anyone walking in, unless they are looking for you. And if they were at this time, they wouldn't be looking here. All we would have to do is lock the door and shut the blinds." He explained calmly.

"Greg...What are you saying?" Sara asked with her arms folded across her chest, her expression telling him clearly that she was not in the mood for messing around.

"I'm saying, Sara, that we could have sex in here and no one would know. If you want to, that is." He clarified. Greg stood up unceremoniously picking up his files as he did so.

"Greg..." Sara started not knowing what to say, never in the years she had known Greg had he been quite that forward. He's said things jokingly but never had he looked her in the eye with that much intensity and said the things he had just done.

"You know where to find me." He brought her back to reality with one last smouldering look and disappeared out of her office leaving wide open for her to follow.


	5. Chapter 5

Hope you all like it.

Please be lovely and review :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

**The Colours of Misery **

**Chapter Four **

**Grey**

Sara sat still not moving from her desk reeling from her encounter with Greg. As she began working through the files in front of her she couldn't stop her mind from teasing her with images of herself and Greg in comprising positions. Sara would attempt to push the thoughts aside in order to make herself focus on her work but the sight of the sofa in the corner of the office, the cabinet at the side and the feeling of her desk beneath her finger tips turned the small office into a sex grotto. With slight resistance she pulled out the packet of cigarettes she kept in her desk drawer and headed towards the exit. There was a steady influx of car's trickling past the barriers into the parking lot as Sara stood hidden in the shadows taking steady drags of her cigarette. She found herself staring at her wedding ring as it glinted in the dim light and the waves of guilt she was experiencing were intense. Sara closed her eyes and leant her head back against the cool wall.

"I thought I'd find you here." A familiar voice cooed in her ear. Sara recoiled at the feeling of someone's breath on her cheek and the warmth radiating from the man's skin. She opened her eyes to find Greg standing barely an inch away from her.

"Leave me alone Greg." She muttered putting her cigarette out and tossing it in the bin. Sara tried to step past him to find Greg's fingers grip the bare skin of her arm.

"No can do, we have a 419 in the Mojave Desert." He smiled innocently. Greg let go of her slowly letting his hand slide down her arm. The skin on skin contact was enough to send electricity through both of them.

"I'll meet you at the Denali." Sara said, her voice slightly hitched as she attempted to look anywhere by at Greg.

**Half an Hour Later **

The heat slowly filled the department issue truck as they drove through the blinding gold towards their crime scene. The atmosphere between them matched the humidity of the Mojave Desert. Greg adjusted the dial on the radio causing Sara to let out an exasperated sigh but she remained silent.

"You know, Sara, if you're hot you can take your top off." Greg smirked; Sara remained silent flashing him a warning look.

"I'm joking." Greg laughed leaning back in the passenger seat and turned to face her. Sara's hands gripped the steering while and her teeth gritted. Without thinking Greg reached over moving a stray strand of hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear, he gently stroked her jaw not being able to hold back the affection that flooded his body.

"Greg...please." Sara muttered, her foot on the break bringing the car to a sudden halt.

Sara closed her eyes and took a deep breath her chest fluttering unevenly like butterfly wings. She opened her eyes and turned to the man sitting in the seat next to her.

"Greg...please stop this, I'm married I can't do this." She pleaded with him. Greg's eyes softened as he watched her; finally he turned away and looked out of the window staring into the distance.

"Super Dave will be wondering where we are." He said shortly.

Sara took another deep breath and restarted the car and continued following the dirt path their sat nav. had mapped out for them. They drove the rest of the way in silence neither one of them being able to bring themselves to discuss what was going on between them.

They finally reached the crime scene climbing out into the sweltering Nevada heat. The corner was crouched over the body a grim expression across his face. The pair approached him carefully making sure their footsteps weren't destroying evidence.

"Liver temp suggests tod was between 10 pm and midnight." David told them as he continued his search of the body.

The body was eventually removed leaving the two of them to process the sand and cactuses that surrounded them. As they worked the scene Greg found it impossible to focus on the task in hand; everything Sara did conjured up inappropriate images in his mind. He found his eyes drawn to watching her work. He was mesmerised by the way that her tongue ran slowly over her lips to moisten them. The sun beating down her skin, water escaping from the bottle at her lips ran off her chin past her collar bone glistening in the light. The way that her shirt slowly rode up her torso displaying more skin he wanted to touch did nothing to suppress his arousal.

Sara knew he was watching her. She could feel his vision burn her skin causing her blood to boil and shivers to run from her head to her toes.

_When was the last time her husband looked at her like that? _

**Later that Day **

Sara and Greg sat in a dimly light bar with tired but pleased smiles. Their work had paid off, over their shift and a bit they had managed to create a water tight slam dunk case.

"I should go." Sara said softly, placing her hand on her friend to steady herself as she stood up. Greg followed suit placing his arms around her waist to stop her from falling.

"Come on, I'll take you home." he offered as Sara wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her head on his shoulder groaning into his neck.

They slowly walked together towards her house, neither one of them saying a word as dusk settled over Las Vegas. Greg's hand reached gently stroking Sara's until their fingers slowly intertwined. Sara's tired eyes met his causing a ripple of uncertainty to go through them both.

Sara fished out her keys and began walking up the steps to the front door her hand not letting go of Greg's. Without thinking once they had gotten through the door Greg planted his lips on hers hungrily. He pushed her coat off her shoulders and let his kisses trail down her neck.

"Please, stop." Sara said breathlessly her hands on his chest pushing him away.

"I thought you wanted this." He asked looking up at her confused. She stood defiant watching him with a conflicted expression, her fingers curled up into fists. "You want this as much as I do." He accused correctly.

"I...I don't love you." She said sounding guilty looking up at him with her dark eyes wide with hesitation.

"Then use me."


	6. Chapter 6

Short but smut!

Rating shall go up I think.

Hope you all like it.

Please be lovely and review :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

**The Colours of Misery **

**Chapter Five**

**Purple **

Sara looked at the man standing in front of her with helpless longing. This time when Greg stepped towards her she didn't push him away. Taking a deep breath in order to calm her nerves she watched him with anticipation. His head dipped returning to the spot on her neck that he had previously been kissing. Greg's arms pulled her closer so that they were flush against each other. Sara's hands went to his head pulling him even closer as he pinned her against a wall his arousal pulsating against her jean clad thigh. Sara's head rolled back against the wall exposing more of her neck for his lips to devour as his hands worked quickly at undoing the buttons on her shirt.

A wave of heat surged through Sara's body as she felt his finger tips brush against the lace of her bra. Her hardened nipples strained against the fabric. Greg pushed her further up the wall so she could wrap her legs around him. He kicked off his shoes and carried her to her bedroom losing his shirt along the way. He placed Sara down on her feet at the end of the bed breaking their kiss abruptly.

"Are you sure?" Were the only words on his lips as they stood breathlessly realising that they were about to go past the point of no return. If they did this now, everything would change. All of the boundaries they had put in place would dissolve. The things that they had imagined would become a reality.

Sara pushed him on to the bed and straddled him with confidence in response to his question. With one fluid movement Greg flipped her onto her back his hands ran down her torso to the button on her jeans. He slid them off her long legs exposing miles of skin to his hungry eyes and returned to covering her body with his own. His lips found hers again, his hands worked on undoing the clasp on her bra while Sara worked on blindly undoing his jeans her hand brushing his erection teasingly as she did so. Greg ran his tongue down her neck hitting the tender spot that made her toes curl while one of his hands messaged her breast the other lost in the mess of black curls. Once Sara had freed him of his jeans one of her hands disappeared beneath the waist band of his boxers taking the length of him in her hand and began sliding up and down in a steady rhythm changing the pressure of her grasp. Greg proceeded to impose the same torture on Sara slipping a finger into her causing a moan to escape her lips. She reached out her arm to rummage through the drawer on her night stand to find a stray condom.

Sara helped Greg put it on and waited impatiently as he repositioned himself between her legs and surged into her. She gasped as he began moving in and out of her with a steady approach. Her hips stammered against his before gaining a rhythm that matched his. She could feel a wave of tension building in her lower abdomen slowly crashing over the rest of her body as her walls constricted around him. Sara's nails dug into his back as an intensity she had never experienced before took hold of her. Greg went over the edge not long after kissing Sara passionately before collapsing next to her breathlessly.

They both turned to face each other a look of satisfaction clear in their expressions. Greg moved hair out of Sara's face, gently stroking her jaw. The sound of traffic floated into the room, the smell of sex weighing down the air. The pair laid tangled in Sara's sheets their minds unable to focus on anything but what they had just done.


	7. Chapter 7

Hope you all like it.

Sorry this is short!

Please be lovely and review :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

**The Colours of Misery **

**Chapter Six**

**Blue **

The morning light poured into the room gently waking Greg as a reminder that this was not the place he should have been. Sara's side of the bed had already been made and as he glanced around he could tell that she had been up for a while; the trinkets on the dressers had been neatly lined up, their clothes from the previous night had been collected and folded waiting on the small stool in front of the vanity mirror. He swallowed the lump that had built up in his throat; Sara regretted everything that had happened between them. He sat for a moment and rubbed his eyes attempting to wake up and construct an argument to prove to Sara that however wrong what they done was, it didn't matter because they could make things better, they could make things work. Greg dressed himself and went to find her.

As Greg walked down the hall way he noticed the pictures of Sara and Grissom lining the walls; in Paris, Peru and the jungles of some unknown exotic country. He couldn't help but feel jealous about what she shared with her husband. The life they lived had been something that he had always wanted; the ability to travel and see the world, to not be held down by routine or commitment. The only thing Greg would have changed was the fact that he would have kept Sara close. When he had seen her in the break room on that first day he didn't understand why Grissom would have ever let her leave his side. After all of the years they had been dodging and chasing each other why would they have let thousands of miles come between them?

The melancholic familiarity of pining settled in Greg's stomach again as he slowly made his way down stairs. He had spent so long dreaming about a world where he had Sara, that the thought of letting her go seemed too painful.

He found her stood in the kitchen a bath robe wrapped around her firmly tied at the waist; her skin, at least what was visible, was red raw from scrubbing and scalding water. Her wet curls pushed out of the way. She had attempted to wash away the evidence of what they had done and perhaps the memories of his touch. In her hands was a steaming mug of black of coffee another placed on the counter for him. Greg picked it up sitting himself down on a stool at the island in the middle of the kitchen waiting for Sara to say something. He acknowledged that he was not going to be the one to start this conversation.

"I made a mistake." She said her eyes glued to the floor. There was something about the detached way that she spoke that suggested that she had rehearsed what she was saying. "Last night I was drunk, I felt lonely, I used you. Greg, I don't want to hurt you, but I don't have feelings for you. And I can't do this, I can't lead you on."

Sara could feel her heart sink as the words that had been running through her mind from the moment she woke up became actual sounds. She knew that it was already too late and that she'd already hurt Greg. And also her husband, who had not yet had the chance to find out what she had done.

Greg paused for a moment not knowing what to do; he took a gulp of his coffee before making his way towards her. He stood square in front of Sara a hand on either side of her firmly gripping the counter behind her, his body brushing hers. She kept her focus on the ground but he could hear her breath hitch. And when he moved a hand to her neck taking her pulse a smile spread across his lips confirming that even if Sara didn't love him she most certainly was physically attracted to him; her heart rate was through the roof.

"I don't care Sara, I told you..." He paused kissing her forcefully his lips preying hers open only pull away as abruptly. "You can use me. It can just be about sex."

Sara's eyes were again on the floor out of embarrassment; Greg titled her chin up so that she was forced to look at him. He kissed her again with just as much passion as before his body fully pressed up against hers.

As he pulled away they looked each other in the eye coming to a silent understanding and agreement.

"I'll see you at work." Greg whispered in her ear before heading out of the kitchen door.

Later that day, Sara heard a knock at her door knowing full well who it would be...


	8. Chapter 8

Hope you all like it.

Sorry again, another really short chapter, this isn't what I had planned to write next but I realised that I couldn't just brush over the fact I'd just left you hanging at the end of the last chapter!

Please be lovely and review :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

**The Colours of Misery **

**Chapter Seven**

**Yellow**

Sara nervously opened the door to see Greg standing on the other side, his suit crinkled from a day's wear. She moved out of the way to let him step through the door frame into the house her eyes on the floor out of shame. Greg reached out his hand stroking her cheek gently to find Sara flinching slightly at his touch.

"I've...never done anything like this before..." she muttered in explanation. Greg nodded in response finding her demure state endearing. Over the years Greg had learnt Sara's habits and behaviours as, the small thing she did would cause warmth to flood his body; the way she frowned when results didn't show what she had expected, the small smile she would give at his jokes even when she was pretending they weren't funny.

"I never thought I could do something like this." She shrugged looking up at him attempting to find some type of explanation to what was going on. But there was no response from her companion who stood perfectly still watching her with sympathy.

"You deserve more, Sara. You deserve better." He said defiantly, attempting to assure them both that what they were doing was right.

"This is about _sex_, Greg, he _doesn't_ deserve to be hurt like this, no one does." Sara's eyes were wide with anxiety.

"No Sara, this is not only about sex, it's about the fact that even now _he's_ not putting you first. This is about the fact that you're lonely because he can barely put the effort in to see you." Greg gave a short humourless laugh before moistening his lips, he took a step closer to Sara to see if she'd move away but she stayed perfectly still watching him intently.

"This is about it feeling so damn good." he whispered in her ear. Greg acknowledged internally that he would one day look back and be embarrassed about what he had just said but in that moment he didn't care. His pupils dilated as he gave her the once over before wrapping his arms firmly around her waist pulling Sara towards him.

That was all it took for them to start another round of deceit.

Greg felt a sense of satisfaction like he never had before watching as Sara turned to putty in his hands. A part of him couldn't believe that all of the things that he had spent fantasising about had become a reality. But he knew for a fact that he finally had a shot and that he wasn't going to let go of Sara. He knew that if he could prove to her that he could be all of the things Grissom hadn't been then he'd have a real chance.

The way Greg looked at her and touched her made Sara melt, and as much as she had wanted to say a firm no she had found herself in bed with him again. Instead of pushing him away she had found herself pulling him even closer while she helped him commit the deed. As much as she didn't want to, she found his name tearing away from her throat as she came.


	9. Chapter 9

Trying something different, hope you all like it.

Please be lovely and review :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

**The Colours of Misery **

**Three Weeks Later **

**Chapter Eight **

**Beige **

Greg sat in the arm chair he assumed her husband would read the morning paper in when he was in the country with a tumbler of whiskey and cloudy eyes. He looked up with a frown as Sara sauntered towards him a silk robe clinging to her frame. She looked amazing. There was no denying that. And the passion was still there. He would feel his blood boil every time they spent the night together. But everything had seemed to change_._

_The new dynamic they had developed behind closed doors was slowly seeping into their everyday life. The more Sara distanced herself from what had been created between them, Greg would pull find himself pulling closer. He had hoped that their late night rendezvous would make Sara think about all of the things that were wrong with her marriage. Perhaps one day she would reassess the decision she had made. _

He took a sip of his whiskey, letting the fiery liquid trickle down his throat with all of its intensity while he loosened his tie. Sara slowly undid the knot letting the robe fall open just a tiny bit, a half smile creeping on to her features. She watched him in a way that did nothing but make Greg uneasy.

_With every night they spent together it was as if Sara had forgotten who he was. She would look at him with fervour; the only things running through her mind were the ways he could make her forget all of the things that were wrong. _

Sara bit her lip pushing the silk off her shoulders letting it slide down her arms causing goose bumps to rise on the skin. Greg straightened up in the chair and placed the glass aside. His eyes took in the almost inexistent black lace that covered her torso as she stood nervously offering herself to him.

_However the only thing that seemed to linger in his mind was the thought; this is not how it should be. _

She moved towards him her eyes lightening up in a way that she only shared with him. With her bare legs either side of his she undid his tie at a painfully slow rate. She felt awkward. He could tell from the way her hands were shaking slightly and her eyes were focused on the task not looking at the way he was watching her. She tossed the tie aside once she had finished her hands then reaching for the buttons of his shirt.

_As much as he wanted to stop her, he realised that he was scared. He didn't know what he could have said to explain exactly what he was feeling. He didn't want to explain to Sara that when he promised her that everything would be fine, he'd been wrong. It was not that she had strung him along. But it was rather his own fault. He had convinced himself that he could push his feelings for Sara aside, that this was simply something he needed to get out of his system. But with every night that wore on, he wished that she would notice the way he looked at her. He had been wearing his heart on his sleeve for almost a decade now but Sara seemed completely oblivious to it. _

Greg woke up from his thoughts to find that he was mindlessly helping Sara remove the last items of clothing still covering parts of his skin. He had realised that his body would respond to her even when he didn't want to. The nights he just wanted to shake her and ask her to see were often just momentary blips because she would start shedding her clothes leaving a trail that led to her bedroom.

He would attempt to ignore her, barely speaking to her at work and then returning to his own apartment. But on those days he would look out of the window to find her car parked across the street while she attempted to build up her courage. After ten or so minutes he would hear a knock at the door and she would swan in as if there was no place else for her to be.

Each night they spent together was different.

Each night was dependent on what Sara needed from him.

_Never had they discussed exactly what it was that he needed from her. And if he was honest with himself he didn't really know. He knew that he needed her in his life but that seemed to be it. _

She lowered herself carefully on to his lap, planting a gentle kiss on his lips while they both adjusted to the new sensations their bodies were experiencing. Sara began carefully and slowly but before long her ability to hold herself back dissolved as her movements became faster her need to reach the point of oblivion where all of her thoughts disbanded became more significant than anything else in that moment. Her dark curls fell forwards as she rested her head on his shoulder withering breathlessly in his arms as he finished.

_The Sidle-Scent. The familiarity overwhelmed him. _

Sara didn't move for a moment taking deep breathes, her hands clutching his arms with a sense of need he only wished was real.

She leant back finally looking at him from under hooded eyes, a faint smile tugging at her lips while she titled her head heavy with satisfaction. Greg reached out gently stroking her cheek attempting to minimise all of the affection he had festered for the woman before him.

_He realised in that moment that he loved her more than she could have ever imagined. _

The crackle of the fire place acted as a back drop as they recovered from their highs, the flames flickering across their skin in an otherwise pitch black room.

Before Greg had the chance to sensor his mouth he'd already said it...

"_I love you"_


	10. Chapter 10

Hope you all like it.

Thanks too Charlie!

Please be lovely and review :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

**The Colours of Misery **

**Chapter Nine**

**White**

"Please stop..." Sara whispered placing her finger on Greg's lips. "I _need_ you."

Greg felt sick, his stomach tied up in knots as he looked into her coffee coloured eyes realising that she didn't love him. That whatever they had between them was simply just a way for her to escape all of the things that didn't seem to fit in place in her life.

Sara's hand moved away to be replaced by her lips; she kissed him with a sorrow that he understood for the most miserable reasons.

"I should go." He whispered as she pulled away. Sara nodded climbing off his lap retrieving her robe to cover herself up while Greg quickly dressed; not that their attempts at modesty mattered as they had both seen each other in far less.

She followed him to the door like a lost puppy. He could tell that she wanted him to stay. Sara reached out her hand wrapping her fingers around his bring them to her lips. Greg looked away knowing that if caught her eye then he would find himself melting back into an embrace. He needed time to think, he needed time to get away from her and all of the things he was feeling. So he pulled his hand away and disappeared out of the door after giving her a quick nod.

Sara stood watching him as he climbed into his car and drove away; her heart sinking slightly. A dull ache weighted down her chest as she attempted to suppress the yearnings of her troubled heart.

She soon realised that perhaps this had all gotten too much.

She wondered if they had gone too far as a sense of anxiety built up in her system.

**Later That Day **

Sara sat in the locker room having completed her shift without seeing Greg once. He hadn't been sitting in the break room drinking coffee and arguing with Hodges like usual. Catherine had given her a case slip and with no excuse to buy herself time at the lab she had left for her scene. She didn't know what it was but she realised that a part of her missed him.

It was at that moment that the locker room door swung open and Greg appeared with an exhausted expression. He didn't say a word as he opened his locker and pulled out his jacket. Sara pulled herself up to stand behind him.

"I've missed you." She said in a meek voice that did not anything sound like her own. Greg turned to see her watching him intently with nothing but honesty in her eyes.

That look was all it took, he cupped her face and kissed her passionately letting her know that he had missed her too- that the he could barely stand the moments they spent apart. They pulled away quickly knowing that they were risking being caught by one of their co-workers.

"Mine." Sara whispered in his ear. She picked up her bag and walked towards the door casting on last smouldering glance in his direction prompting Greg into action. They climbed into their separate cars and drove to Sara's house the anticipation becoming increasingly intense as they got closer. Greg pushed Sara against her front door when they got back his hands running over her body and his lips on hers, as he realised that he couldn't control himself.

But then something stopped them both in their tracks.

"Honey is that you?" A familiar voice called from the other side of the door.

Sara froze up, her whole body tensing from fear, Greg's hands had moved away from her and he was muttering desperately for her to start breathing and answer the question. He gently guided her shoulders so that she was facing the door and gave her a small push. But before he could turn around and disappear the front door opened revealing Gil Grissom.

"Ah, hello Greg." He smiled broadly completely oblivious to the betrayal that the younger man had partaken in.

"Grissom, it's great to see you. I just came to steal some of Sara's record collection...I have a date tonight." he said speaking as quickly as he could. Greg hoped that his voice hadn't been too slurred and that he wasn't wearing Sara's lipstick giving away what they had been doing only yards away from where her husband had been.

"Oh, that sounds nice, come in." He said politely moving out of the way for the both of them to enter.

"I've missed you so much." Grissom said softly once they were inside he turned to his wife, pulling her into a gentle kiss taking in the smell of her perfume and the taste of her lips. He had one hand on the small of her back and the other in her hair.

Greg could hear the sound of his heart beat in his head as he gritted his teeth and his fingers curling into fists. Watching Grissom hold Sara like that just intensified everything he felt of her triple-fold. He wanted so much to step in; to tell Grissom his marriage was over. But as he watched Sara grip her husband tighter he realised that wasn't the case. Sara loved Grissom in the same way he loved her.

All of this time he simply just been the other man.

He cleared his throat finally causing the two to pull away from each other. Sara turned to him her eyes wide with guilt

"What kind of music are you looking for?" She asked the words like sandpaper on her tongue as she began walking towards the cabinet that held her records.

"Her favourite song is 'Me and Mrs Jones'." He said, his eyes not leaving Sara hoping she got the hint. From the way she seemed to pause from a second he knew that she had understood him loud and clear.

"Jazz...interesting... is _this_ _date_...someone we know?" Grissom asked in a friendly tone, sitting himself down on the sofa.

"No, I don't think so." Greg said attempting to match the conversational tone. Sara returned with a few records in her hand.

"Kind of Blue by Miles David, and I've dug up some of my Coltrane." She attempted to smile as she handed them to her lover hoping that the way they were speaking didn't come across as too familiar. "Those should keep you going."

"Wonderful choices." Grissom chimed, with a glazed over eyes.

"Well, I'll leave you two to it, thanks for these Sara and I'll let you know how my date goes tomorrow." Greg announced realising that he could no longer bare the presence of her husband.

Their eyes met once more but seemed to paint two completely different images.

Sara looked helpless; she had once again fallen under the spell of Gil Grissom's bizarre charm.

Greg looked distraught; he had once again been forced to experience losing Sara to that same man.


	11. Chapter 11

Hope you all like it.

Still thanks too Charlie!

Please be lovely and review :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

**The Colours of Misery **

**Chapter Ten**

**Burgundy **

Greg opened a beer bottle settling into the silence of his apartment with the same sense of hopelessness he had experienced the day he had seen the wedding ring on Sara's hand. Seeing _them_ together had made it all real. Seeing Grissom had reinforced all of the things that he had feared about their relationship.

As he sat completely alone his mind wandered to what Sara would be doing now on the other side of town.

Sara's slender frame sat curled up next to her husband her head resting on his shoulder as her arms snaked around his neck pulling him close. Grissom held her close, his eyes softening as he pushed inky black hair out of his wife's face.

"I'm so glad you're back." she muttered into his ear. "I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you to." he responded with a smile. "I was thinking we could go to the Bellagio for dinner."

"The Bellagio?" Sara raised an eyebrow.

"I want to spoil my wife, is that too bad?" He laughed.

"I guess I can handle that." Sara said in a low voice that made Grissom shiver as he remembered just how seductive she could be.

He closed the small gap between them his hands sliding up her top while kissing Sara's neck with small plucky kisses hitting all of the tender spots. Sara let her body melt into his touch as they made love for the first time in months.

"Well if we're going to the Bellagio I better get changed." She said breathlessly once they had finished.

Sara opened the door to her wardrobe and stood for a moment attempting to find something nice to wear. When faced with all of her clothes like this she realised just how much many of them were simply slacks and shirts for work. Also the predominance of the colour black seemed to overwhelm her as she started pulling each of the hangers apart. Sara clicked her tongue as she pulled out a knee length navy blue dress with a plunging neck line. She could barely recall the last time she had worn it, but as she brought it out into the light she realised that it would be perfect for the evening. Her mind wandered to lingerie as the 'La Perla' bag at the back of wardrobe caught her eye. The last time she had worn that particular piece had been her wedding night. The crimson lace felt soft beneath her fingers as she pulled it out of the bag to examine her purchase. Not wanting to over think Sara slipped on the things she had identified and looked at herself in the full length mirror that hung on the wall. She straightened out her dress awkwardly. Sara pulled the make-up pallet she kept on her dresser towards her and began working with the small powders and brushes painting herself up hoping that her husband would notice.

She stepped into the living room to see Grissom with a baffled expression as he attempted to fix his tie. With a small smile she stepped gently moved his hands away and began tying it for him pleased by his in-take of breath when he saw her.

"You look beautiful." He muttered awkwardly not knowing what else to say.

"You don't look too bad yourself." Sara gave him a half smile.

The drive to the restaurant was quiet but pleasant as they attempted to sort through things in their minds to talk about. Sara would glance nervously at her husband every so often hoping that the things that had made them great together hadn't faded over the time they spent apart. But once they gotten there and settled into the atmosphere sipping red wine while catching up on all of the things they had missed it was as if they had never been apart.

Grissom had always managed to win her over with his quirky charm and his amusing stories, and it was no different now. Sara had always enchanted him and as he watched the woman in front of him he realised that the feeling he had was just like the first time they had met.

"Sara, there is something I want to talk to you about." Grissom said slowly once Sara had mentioned his return to Vegas. His expression had fallen causing Sara's heart to lurch.

His surprise visit had made her hopeful that perhaps they would be able to get their marriage back on track. She had secretly been hoping that all of this would have all been an interlude to him telling her that he was going to be moving back to being by her side again.

"I have been offered a position which would mean I can have the funding for my research." He said slowly taking a long sip from his drink.

"But?" Sara asked knowing that there was bad news coming.

"But...I would have to be in Russia for four months." He said not being able to look his wife in the eye knowing that it would upset her.

"Did you say no?" She asked her stomach turning to knots.

"My flight is tomorrow night." His answered felt like a stab to the chest.

"And I'm guessing like always I don't matter when it comes to work." Sara spat at him.

"Sara that's not true, they didn't give me long to decide-" he attempted to explain but Sara cut him off.

"And you didn't think to ask me what I thought, before you disappeared for four months." Sara shouted drawing attention from the people sitting around them.

"Honey please...calm down...I wanted to see you, that's why I'm here."

"Is that supposed to be enough?" she hissed.

"What can I do to make this better?" he pleaded.

"Stay. Stay here with me." Sara choked up, a tear sliding down her cheek.

"I can't..." his whispered his eyes focused on the floor.

"I can't do this..." Sara stood up, snatching up her purse and jacket before heading towards the exit.

As she walked away a part of her hoped that he would chase her, stop her from leaving, to try and fix the things that were going on between them. But there was nothing. Not a word. No footsteps following her into the Vegas night.

Sara hailed a cab and tearfully gave the driver the address of the one place she knew that she felt safe.

The one place she knew she could escape.


	12. Chapter 12

Hope you all like it.

Still thanks too Charlie!

Please be lovely and review :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

**The Colours of Misery **

**Chapter Eleven**

**Bronze **

Sara felt like she was drowning as she sat enclosed in the space of the cab. Tears flooded past her eye lashes as she attempted to order her thoughts. After all of this time apart she thought that they had finally had gotten a chance to fix the things that had gone wrong with their relationship.

She remembered the reason she had initially returned to Vegas. Gil had been so caught up in his work in Paris that he had barely noticed how lonely her life had become. Sara would spend all of her time alone reading waiting for him to return from work only to find that he was too tired to do anything. She recalled a night where he had promised that they would go to the theatre. She had spent all day excited that they finally had managed to agree to do something together. It had been an hour and a half waiting outside the theatre that she realised that he wasn't going to be there. Sara returned home climbing into bed attempting not to cry. When her husband finally did return she simply closed her eyes and pretended that she was asleep.

Sara thought that perhaps returning home would do something to prompt action from Grissom. That he would realise that they couldn't keep living like that. But he had simply let her go with a bitter-sweet kiss at the airport.

Everything about their life together had become bitter-sweet.

The times they were together would be like being hit by waves at the beach, being dragged down by a current into the overwhelming waters of what they had been when they'd first met; all of the sparks and the love. But their time together was short with every moment that passed they both knew that their time was coming to an end.

Someone would always have to leave.

And Sara realised that she just couldn't do it anymore. She was exhausted with the pining, the late night phone conversations where they resisted each other and having her heart broken each time her husband walked away from her to the terminal.

She was tired of having to pack her bags, saying goodbye to the Parisian landscape as the taxi drove them both in silence to another ending.

The cab came to a halt outside of Greg's apartment and once she'd paid the fare she made her way quickly to his door. Sara's fist collided relentlessly with his door as she attempted to gain composure. Greg appeared with a frown that quickly disappeared once he'd seen the state of the woman in front of him. Her heart was in her throat as she failed at holding the tears back, mascara streaming down her cheeks. Sara's mouth felt dry, her oesophagus had tightened to the point she felt like she could barely breathe, and her lungs were like a storm raging beneath her rib cage. Without thinking Greg pulled her into his arms, holding her as tightly as he could to stop her from shivering as her tears soaked his shirt.

"Shhh...It's going to be okay." He whispered into her ear.

After a few moments they pulled apart, Greg watched Sara with a worried expression. It hurt him so much to see her like this. Sara of all people deserved to be okay.

"What happened?" he asked quietly closing his front door while Sara sat herself down on his couch, her head in her hands.

"He...he doesn't love me anymore Greg..." Sara said in a detached way finally looking up at him the tears showing no sign of stopping. Taking in the seat next to her, Greg pulled her closer again.

"Of course he does..." He said swallowing the lump that was building up in his throat.

"He only came back to tell me that he'd be gone for four months." She explained; her eyes focused on her hands as she picked at a nail. "I can't do this anymore Greg, I can't keep saying goodbye."

"Do you love him?" Greg blurted out. Sara looked up at him, her eyes wide with uncertainty. She turned her attention back to her nail with a shrug.

"I guess."

"Look at me Sara." Greg demanded her attention, gently placing his hand on her jaw to make her face him. "You can do so much better. You can find a man who wants to be with you. Someone who wouldn't put oceans between you two, someone who would give anything to be with you at the end of the day... _So_...you need to tell him now that he can't keep hurting you like this. He either needs to step up to the plate or be ready to lose you."

Sara nodded knowing that Greg's advice had been right. They had both become lost attempting to make their marriage work from so far apart.

"I'll get you a drink okay?" He whispered gently, wiping away the new set of tears that had formed underneath her eyes. Sara nodded, biting her lip to repress a sob.

Greg stepped into the kitchen taking a deep breath while switching the coffee maker on. He realised in that moment that no matter how hard he tried he would never be able to turn Sara away. She meant far much to him. He pulled out his phone finding Archie's number near the top of his contact list and dialled it realising that he had completely forgotten about the plans he had made with his co-workers to enter a blowing competition. Greg knew that the next day at work Hodges would make him pay for not showing but decided that it didn't matter; helping Sara was the most important thing in that moment.

"What up?" Archie's laid back voice came from the other side.

"Hey Arch, it's me, Greg, I'm sorry but I'm going to have to bail, something's come up." He said apologetically.

"It's cool, we'll find someone else. Maybe Judy from reception will play with us? But if we lose, we're blaming you." His friend said with an understanding tone.

"Thanks and sorry again Archie." They said their goodbyes after which Greg flipped his phone shut tossing it aside to pour both Sara and himself a mug of steaming coffee.

Sara stood outside having heard Greg's phone conversation with Archie it felt as if she had fallen off a ten story building.

She realised that the one constant that had always remained in her life had been Greg. Since her return to Vegas he had been the one to provide her with stability and comfort. From the day they'd first met he'd went out of his way for her. When she felt burnt out, Greg had offered to listen doing all he could to be there.

And tonight, when her husband couldn't manage to prove that he loved her enough to stay, Greg had dropped his plans last minute to be there for her.

A new wave of emotion besieged Sara; guilt.


	13. Chapter 13

Hope you all like it.

Thank you to Charlie for talking this out with me!

Please be lovely and review :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

**The Colours of Misery **

**Chapter Twelve **

**Silver **

Greg appeared through the kitchen door with the steaming mugs and a somnolent smile. He glanced around his living room to see nothing but Sara's abandoned coat where she had been sitting. His heart sunk when no reply came when he called out her name. There was nothing but the sound of silence responding to him.

He placed the mugs down and sat feeling confused about what had happened- what he'd done wrong. It felt as if every time he thought that Sara's feelings for he had become evidence she would do something that reminded him that he was there to act as a replacement for someone else.

Sara's unpredictability had begun to wear him down; the way that things seemed to be constantly changing between them was finally getting to him. Greg had never thought that he would wish to return to the years where he simply just admired Sara from afar; happy that she was happy.

Over the space of almost a month everything that they had created dissolved.

Sara's false facade of happiness had come undone. The things that everyone had believed about her marriage had turned into the lies she used to keep herself together. But it was in his presence that she would let it all go. More often than not when Sara thought that Greg was asleep he would hear her quiet sobs as she mourned all of the things that had once been. At first he would reach out, hold her trying to make the pain stop but she would shake him off, climbing out of bed get dressed and disappearing if they were at his place. She would make an excuse to get water or something else if they were at her town house just to escape his embrace. It was as if she was punishing herself because her husband couldn't. After a while he learnt that remaining silent was the only thing he could do, his heart breaking at the knowledge of her anguish.

While Greg sat mulling over every time they had spent the night together Sara wandered the streets of Vegas attempting to get out of her own head. But as she glanced up at the neon lights of the strip her thoughts couldn't help but wander to Greg. She felt a surge of emotion that she had not previously accepted as she realised just how much she had hurt him and how much he meant to her. All of these years Greg had always acted as a fall back for her, he had always picked up the pieces but she'd broken everything again.

Sara hailed a cab realising that she needed to face up to all of the problems that had taken hold of her life. She gave the cab driver her home address hoping that was where her husband had returned to. Her tired eyes took in the bright lights as they floated past the window as the feelings of distress and exhaustion moved in her blood stream.

This was it.

It was finally time to be honest.

She stepped into the house to see her husband sitting by the fire place flicking through a book with a weary expression. He looked up and found his eyes meeting Sara's, from her expression he could tell that the talk they had both been avoiding for so long was finally going to materialise.

"We need to talk." She croaked Grissom nodded while Sara nervously sat herself down in the arm chair opposite him.

"I don't think things are working..." She said her eyes fixed on the floor.

"I agree..." Grissom said quietly.

"It's like the harder we fight, the more difficult this becomes. Every time I think we've worked things out. It's like we're back at the start again. You once said that a relationship in stasis withers...and I'm exhausted...I can't do this one step forward...three steps back anymore." A tear slid down Sara's cheek at she forced each painful word out. "I love you so much Gil, but I can't be apart anymore. Everything we build seems to fall apart every time one of us has to leave. If you have to do this, if you have to go...then I just need you to know, that I won't be here waiting."

A lump built up in Sara's throat as she realised that the last sentence she had said was an ultimatum that would decide whether her marriage survived or not.

"I understand." Grissom nodded. "I'm sorry for everything..."

It was then that Sara's head snapped up; there was nothing from Grissom indicating that he'd stay. A new set of tears started in her eyes as she gritted her teeth. Deep down she wanted him to fight for her, to take her into his arms and promise that everything was going to be okay. But as their eyes met it was as if they had reached a silent understanding.

"I'll go pack my things." Grissom announced while Sara imitating a doll remaining perfectly still in the armchair.

Neither one of them could tell how long it took but soon enough Grissom had all of his possessions that matter in a suitcase by the door. He walked slowly into the living room where Sara was still sitting by the fire place.

"Good bye Sara." He said slowly. The distraught woman in front of him glanced up, tears still streaming down her skin in familiar paths.

"Good bye." She gave a small nod, forcing the words out of her dry throat.

Grissom turned and walked away throwing one last glance over his shoulder at Sara, she'd pulled her knees to her chest hugging her legs, the tears in her eyes glinting in the light of the fire. Grissom felt a crushing pain in his chest but as he watched her for a moment he realised that Sara deserved to be happy.

And if letting her go, was what he had to do, then he was willing to walk away...


	14. Chapter 14

Hope you all like it.

Sorry it's short.

Thank you to Charlie for talking this out with me!

Please be lovely and review :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

**The Colours of Misery **

**Chapter Thirteen **

**Gold **

Morning settled over sin city as the people that had been crawling the streets from the previous nights disappeared while others made their way to work. Sara walked into the lab her eyes tired from a sleeplessness night and red rimmed from the mourning. She took steady steps towards Catherine's office, taking deep breathes to calm her nerves hoping that her fragility didn't show.

"Catherine..." She said quietly closing the door behind her as she walked in.

"Sara are you okay?" Her friend asked with concern.

"No...Cath...I need to leave. I need to get out of here." She said in a quiet voice.

"What happened?"

"Grissom...and I...are over." She said glancing down at her ring-less hand.

Sara had sat thinking about all of the things that had happened in the past month; the affair, Greg's growing frustrations with her, Grissom's ever increasing distance. She realised that like three years ago she felt like she was drowning with no way out. She'd lost the man she never thought she could ever stop loving. She'd hurt the man who would never stop loving her. It was as if the only she could do was disappear. Reel from her own heart break and hope that Greg would be able to heel without her there.

"Sara...is there anything I can do? Anything the lab can do?" Catherine attempting to consider the things she could use to convince Sara to stay but as she watched the woman in front of her she could tell that there was little she could do now.

"No, I'm sorry for leaving you in the lurch like this. But I just...I just need to get out." Sara said refusing to cry this time.

"I understand..." Catherine said slowly watching warily as Sara pulled herself out of her seat.

"Goodbye." She said just as quietly as she had started and headed towards the door.

"Sara..." Catherine stopped her. "Stay in touch, let me know how you're doing. Okay?"

"I will." She nodded.

"Promise?" Catherine asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I promise." Sara said giving her a weak smile.

Sara stepped into the hall way casting one glance around the lab before she began walking towards the exit, her eyes focused on the ground. Before she could move she found herself walking to someone. She glanced up to see Greg's hazel eyes on her, she looked away as quickly as she could and took a step away from him.

"I need to get some head space...I'm sorry." She muttered her eyes glued to the floor. Sara began walking away not waiting to hear a response from Greg. She rushed out of the door fishing her car keys out of her pocket.

But that was it. Greg snapped.

All of this time he had been holding on Sara had simply just left him hanging. And now she was leaving him, running away from her feelings for him.

He was behind her he had her arm in a vice like grip. Greg pulled her back towards him but still Sara refused to look him in the eye. He had never put his hands on a woman but there was something about the way that Sara made his blood boil he could barely recognise the person he'd become.

"Go ahead Sara...leave. Do what you always do; run away from your problems." He growled. "Have you even once considered just stepping up and sticking around? You roll on through and it doesn't seem to matter who you hurt because you got what you wanted."

"Greg please..." Sara whimpered pleading with him to let her go but her eyes still not meeting his; she knew that she would have a bruise where he was clutching on to her arm as she struggled to get free but his grip was too strong.

"No, Sara. I'm not going to stop. I'm done with this, with you." He spat. "I've had enough. You don't love your husband anymore so instead of staying to fix it you come back to Vegas. You have feelings for me, but rather than admit it you run. You can walk away this time, and I won't be here waiting for you to come back. I won't be there to help put the pieces back together. I'm done with you. But please before you go, tell me Sara what was I...just a _meaningless fuck_ that went too far?"

That got Sara she looked up at him tears welling up in her eyes. It was then he saw just how hurt she was by the things that he'd said. Had they been in any other situation that look would have promoted Greg to pull her into his arms.

But this time the only thing Greg could do was let go of her and without another word Sara climbed into her car and pulled out of the parking lot casting one last glance at him before she disappeared in to the Vegas traffic.


	15. Chapter 15

Hope you all like it.

Thank you to Charlie for talking this out with me!

Please be lovely and review :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

**The Colours of Misery **

**Chapter Fourteen **

**Violet **

The juxtaposition of heat and thunder rolled over Vegas as neon battled with lightening for dominance. Sara tapped her nails against the window sill with frustration as she was put on hold for the third time in the space of half an hour. Her attempts at booking a flight had been surprising difficult. A mix of the changing weather front and the FBI's need to control half of the airport seemed to be making flying out of Vegas almost impossible.

"I'm sorry, but we don't seem to have any available seats on tonight's outbound flights to San Francisco." A chirpy southern accent informed her.

"It's okay, thank you for trying." She responded attempting to be polite as she groaned inwardly at how ridiculous it was to not be able to get out of Vegas. Eight hours and three quarters- that's how long it would take for her to drive there giving that she didn't stop. As she glanced outside at the growingly prominent storm she brushed the idea aside taking a look around her empty house.

As she placed the phone back on the hook Greg's voice lingered in her ears; the things he'd said had not yet evacuated her mind. He'd been right, she'd made a habit of running away from her problems and what she was doing now was no different. But she realised that she needed to put some distance between the two of them so she could figure out what it was that she felt for Greg. Seeing him every day would be like permanent intoxication she had decided- his presence would have clouded her judgement and impaired her ability to think rationally. She would remember the way his eyes watched her movements, how his skin felt against hers and the way one touch of his hand had her coming undone.

The lust was most certainly there but there was something else, something that really conflicted her. The warmth that flooded her body when he smiled at her, the tingle that ran through her when held her and the way she started missing him when he wasn't there. They were all things that she thought that she could only have ever felt for her husband but here Greg was inducing the same reaction in her. And it was that fact itself that made her doubt everything but mostly herself.

As she glanced around the living room there were things that reminded her of Greg brining back intense memories. The armchair they had last made love in stood against the background of the living room like defiant evidence of her feelings for a man that had been her friend for so many years.

It was the same armchair her husband had sat in the previous night as they marriage turned from crumbling to complete disintegration.

The guilt felt like being hit by a truck as she recalled how she had once told her husband that looking for passion outside of marriage was asking for trouble- and that was exactly what she had done.

The intensity she'd felt when Greg dominated her was like nothing she had ever experienced before. The first time he'd had her in a sense of frenzy but with every night he grew even more familiar with her body bewildering her in the way he could tell exactly what she wanted.

A frustrated groan escaped her lips as she rested her head against the cool glass of the window staring pointlessly out into the street attempting to empty her mind of the thoughts that plagued her.

Sara walked into the bathroom, turning the taps on, she began filling the tub. As the water levels slowly rose she poured herself a glass of red wine, as she turned to walk out of the kitchen decided to take the bottle with her. She paced the glass and the bottle down finding the lavender bubble bath. With the wine and water waiting for her Sara stripped down her skin covered in goose bumps.

She took the glass of wine into her hand, leant her head against the tiles with closed eyes letting the water cover her body she lay soaking in sin.

Greg paced his living room a cigarette burning out between his fingers. Every time he blinked imaged of Sara would float through his mind; the way her intense dark eyes had looked at him as he accused her of being a coward. His heart gave a lurch as he recalled just how hurt she had appeared to be from his comments.

He didn't know what it was about her but being around Sara had made him crazy. He had begun acting in ways that he would never have done before. The emotional imbalances he'd been experiencing caused him to wonder if he was actually going insane.

Or if this was simply what really being in love felt like.

Greg remembered the first time he'd met Sara; she'd walked into his lab with a grim expression as she handed him an evidence bag that contained a used condom. He'd made an appalling joke and the moment she'd smiled at him, he'd know that he was done for.

He took a long drag from his cigarette as he attempted to work out how they had gotten this far. How things had gotten his messed up.

_Sex._ He thought bitter. That was what had caused everything to change.

Watching her from a distance over the years he'd been able to create fantasises containing Sara but never had he thought they would become a reality. But now the things that only been estimations had become actual events- ones that he could recall through smell, scene and sound. He'd memorised the sound of her gasps and moans when they were in bed together. She'd been better than he had ever imagined. But he wanted more than that.

He'd always wanted more than that.

Greg had fooled himself into thinking that he could maintain Sara's silence insistence and keep their relationship just physical. And when she'd teasingly undress while he attempted to talk every thought that had crossed his mind before would disappear as the need to be inside of her consumed him.

He put out his cigarette and finished the small amount of beer that was left in the bottle he had started. Greg climbed into bed attempting to shut off all of his thoughts but he found himself staring at the ceiling thinking about all of the things he missed about Sara.

By now the rain had started colliding with the windows, the storm settling over Vegas seemed as out of place as his feelings.


	16. Chapter 16

Hope you all like it.

(Sorry the first bit is just a reminder/recap of what's going on in present time)

As always props to Charlie!

This is the end my lovelies- tell me what you think, please review!

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

**The Colours of Misery **

**Chapter Fifteen**

**Present Day**

**Indigo **

_He had to see her, he had to try and fix all of the things that had gone wrong with them._

_Eventually the door opened and Sara appeared watching him intently with a fierce expression the door firmly held so he couldn't get past her. He noticed the silk red robe she was wearing; her hair lay in damp curls on her shoulders, her skin glistening in the dim lighting._

_"What do you want Greg?" She spat at him._

_"Sara, please." He begged her to listen to the things he had to say. He needed her to hear just how much she meant to how him, how much he needed her. Sara watched him her eyes attempting to gauge his honesty like she did in interrogation, it was impossible for her to hide how hurt she was. Without giving it a second thought Greg moved in planting his lips on hers doing the only he knew that would make her weak. He tasted like cigarettes and rain. And before Sara could do anything to stop what was happening he was through the front door shutting it behind him._

_Greg pulled Sara into his arms his soaking clothes making spots of her silk robe darken into the colour of blood. He kept his hands on either side of her face not letting her escape from the passion of their kiss. Sara's rested on Greg's chest attempting to push him away but there was nothing she could do. She was like putty in his hands, her body responded to his touch no matter how much she wanted to stop it. One of his hands slid down her body to the knot of her robe, it was so much like their first time she felt sick. Sara wanted to stop him but the feeling of his fingertips finally touching her bare skin caused electricity to fire through her veins. As she attempted to think straight she realised just how conflicted she was when it came to Greg Sanders._

_Sensing her resistance Greg pulled away their chests heaving attempting to breath still reeling from the encounter they had just had. Sara's robe open revealing smooth, ivory skin doing nothing to help him control himself._

_"I love you." he said breathlessly._

He moved in again kissed her, the warmth of her skin feeling like home as he embraced her with all of the honesty that he had. Their kiss broke slowly as they both resisted losing contact. Sara's eyes looked deep into Greg's finding nothing but love her heart fluttering in her chest.

"I love you too." The words escaped her lips in a breathless confession that she had been holding back for so long.

Greg kissed Sara again but this time it was slow and gently as he pulled her towards him locking her in his arms with the hope of being able to protect her from all of the things that had hurt her over the years. He held her with the want of making everything better from that moment forward as the painful memories Sara kept hidden faded away like old scars.

They pulled apart their fingers intertwining as Sara led him to her bedroom.

Standing at the foot of the bed Greg nervously undid her robe fully pushing it off her shoulders his eyes washing over her naked body taking in every freckle every mile of her pale skin as she looked away in embarrassment.

"You're beautiful." he muttered as if this was the first time he'd seen her.

She had stood before him anticipating his hands on her bare skin, never before had her breath quivered and her legs trembled with only the touch of his eyes washing over her. The silk of the robe pooled at her feet as he moved closer, his shirt soon joining the discarded clothing. His skin feeling hot against hers as they stood barely inches apart.

"Kiss me Greg." she whispered as the air between them stilled.

When stepped even closer yet, his lips brushing hers she could his breaths quicken and tremble. They descended onto the bed as a tangled mess of limbs their bodies before it had all been about the sex, the animalistic, passionate and fevered act of sex, this time their bodies danced together, sharing secrets and promises and making love. It was a different experience all together. The honesty and emotion involved made every careful brush of skin, every soft kiss, every uttered sigh take on a whole new meaning.

"I'm sorry for all of the things I said Sara, I don't want to lose you." He started, whispering in a low voice.

"I'm not going anywhere." She responded with diffident smile.

Greg held Sara tightly as their breathing slowed down together, her head resting on his chest she looked up at him her eyes wide with sincerity.

It was as if the whole world was spinning in slow motion as they held on to each other as dusk settled in indigo over Las Vegas like a blanket setting the spell binding city to life. The static between their bodies was like the traffic on the streets.

An oxymoron of love in sin city took dominance as the neon colours of misery melted away in that moment.

**The End **


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